Koigu Potpourri Shawl Wrap Knitting Pattern

Koigu Potpourri Shawl

What is Being Made

The Koigu Potpourri Shawl is a triangular knit shawl designed by Elke Schroder. This beginner-friendly project creates a finished shawl measuring 17 inches (43 cm) wide and 88 inches (224 cm) in length, making it a versatile accessory suitable for layering or draping. The shawl's construction allows for creative color work, as crafters can either organize their yarn colors intentionally or select them randomly for a spontaneous, painted effect.

Techniques Used

The Potpourri Shawl employs fundamental knitting techniques appropriate for beginner-level crafters. The pattern uses increase rows to build the shawl's width during the initial construction phase, followed by decrease rows to taper the shawl back down to a finished point. The shawl is worked in the round using a circular needle, which allows for seamless construction and eliminates the need for seaming.

Stitches Used

This pattern utilizes basic knit stitches and straightforward stitch abbreviations:

• Knit (k) – the foundational stitch used throughout the pattern
• Slip stitch (sl) – used at the beginning of rows for a finished edge
• Knit front and back (kfb) – an increase stitch that creates two stitches from one, used to expand the shawl width
• Slip, knit, pass slipped stitch over (skp) – a left-leaning decrease used during the shawl's tapering phase
• Knit two together (k2tog) – a right-leaning decrease used to shape the shawl
• Knit three together (k3tog) – used to bind off the final stitches

Pattern Structure

The shawl is constructed in three distinct phases. The increase phase begins with casting on 3 stitches and building up to 150 stitches through strategic increases on alternating rows. The body phase maintains the 151-stitch count while extending the shawl's length, with decreases on odd rows balanced by increases to keep the stitch count constant. The finishing phase uses simultaneous increases and decreases to gradually reduce the shawl back to 3 stitches, which are then bound off.

Materials and Tools

The Potpourri Shawl requires 10 skeins (500 grams total) of Koigu KPPPM yarn in assorted complementary colors. Crafters have the flexibility to use full skeins or supplement with mini-skeins as desired, allowing for personalized color combinations. The pattern calls for US 3/3.25 mm circular needles measuring 80 centimeters in length. The recommended gauge is 27 stitches over 4 inches (10 centimeters) when using the specified needle size, ensuring the shawl reaches its intended finished measurements.

This pattern, published in Koigu Magazine 9 in 2017 and designed by Elke Schroder of Koigu Wool Designs in Chatsworth, Canada, offers crafters an accessible introduction to shawl construction while celebrating the vibrant, multicolored aesthetic that Koigu yarns are known for.